


Emerald Fallen

by Cupid_Take_A_Shot



Series: Emerald Fallen [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Pirates, Science Fiction, Steampunk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:28:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26252683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cupid_Take_A_Shot/pseuds/Cupid_Take_A_Shot
Summary: A story about a bunch of teenage pirates full of awkward family reunions, alternate identities, and a flying ship with a city on it. (Lame summary, sorry)
Series: Emerald Fallen [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1907200





	1. We Kidnap A Hot British Chick

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this is my first ever book and I know this is not going to be read at all because there are much better things on here but I still wanted to get this out there.

The Emerald Fallen, the biggest, fastest, most incredible ship to ever take to Earth’s oceans. With eighty cannons and twelve mounted modified machine guns, her arsenal is something widely feared and entirely unbeatable. The crew is known for its strength and skill with numerous weapons as well as various martial arts. Like its sisters the Ruby Rising and the Opal Queen, the Emerald Fallen had the ability to fly. Unlike most ships, she has a main control board covered in an array of buttons and switches that truly and completely modernizes the ship. Yes, the Emerald Fallen is well known for its incredible wonders that almost make it seem like a fairy tale, but its most famous feature is the small city nestled in its depths.  
Some believe that when the creator was building the ship, it was blessed by angels to give it the speed and power it is known for despite the heavy load it would forever be carrying. The city, jokingly named the Emerald City, is unlike any other city and not just because it is on a boat. Instead of endless skyscrapers and floating buildings, the Emerald City is designed to look like a medieval city, with straw roofs and cobblestone roads. This is simply because it is easier to transport around the world. Most people who live in the city are family of the crew. Though some people simply just want to live under the fantasy of being a pirate without the danger that comes with it.  
The Emerald Fallen is a ship known for its power and speed. Known for its mystery and unnaturalness. Known to have never lost a fight and successfully capture every treasure it sets its sights on. And currently it was stuck in a fire fight against the Royal Aerial and Naval League Against Pirating. 

~~~~~

I stood at the top of the main skysail staring down at two of the most fearsome ships in the royal navy. Below me my crew rushed about to return the fire aimed at us. With a dramatic sigh, I slid down the ropes to the deck where my first mate, Sexton, was waiting for me. I love Sexton, he is one of those people who is loyal and funny and honest and everything else good in the world. Some people would say that while mentally we were identical, physically we were exact opposites. Where Sexton’s skin is darker, mine is more of a sun kissed tan. Where I have hazel eyes, Sexton has blue with flecks of green. He is very tall while I am very short so where I come up to most people’s shoulders, I barely reach Sexton’s chest, which honestly, is my only complaint about him.  
Sexton and I met three years ago and were immediately inseparable, to the point where he joined me and my father on our pirate adventure even though it meant that he was disowned by his family. When, one year later, my father died and I became captain, I knew that Sexton should be my first mate. He was always there for me and never complained about taking my bullshit. I don’t know what I would do without him.  
Sexton smirked at the exasperation on my face, “What? Not having fun?”  
I rolled my eyes, “What do you think?” I marched off to the control center, Sexton followed me. I started punching buttons angrily, “Why do they even bother? We are gonna chase ‘em off and then we have to repair everything that is necessary for movement, then we have to make sure that no one in the city is hurt, then we have to repair the houses… and you know, I’m just not feeling it today.”  
I paused my ranting and turned to Sexton with a shrug. He smiled at me, “Well I’m just glad you have calmed down because I thought you were about to kill the ship.”  
“I would never,” I gasped dramatically, “My baby.” I hugged the ship’s control board. Sexton laughed at my antics. “No…” I shook my head, “I’m just trying to get us into the air so we have the upper hand, but nothing’s responding and I know that means I will be stuck fixing this for forever and I love this ship but my god, it is a hassle to keep up with.”  
Sexton snorted, “Your baby is needy.”  
“Very.”  
“Captain!” I turned my head to see a crew member running at me, “What are we supposed to do? If we don’t move, we will get destroyed!” I growled and banged my head against the wheel.  
“Whatever we do it needs to be planned and organized. Doing something stupid and reckless could lead to death.” Clarity Sawyer was suddenly at my shoulder, causing me to jump.  
Clarity Sawyer is one of the only people who has been on the Emerald Fallen from the very beginning. Her parents were close with my father and currently are residing in the Emerald City. She tried to help out wherever she could but right off the bat it was obvious she wasn’t meant to work with machines. Clarity ended up becoming a mother figure or a caregiver for me and my siblings, Mozart and Caesar, despite only being one year older than us. Three years later she still acts like a mom.  
I flashed my trademark grin at Clarity, “I know just what to do.”  
Clarity looked horrified. Sexton bounced around excitedly, “What’s the plan Holmes?”  
I imitated the voice of an announcer, “Well young man, it’s stupid… it’s reckless… and if it goes wrong we may all die.”  
“No,” Clarity deadpanned.  
“Yes,” cheered Sexton at the same time.  
“So what are we doing?” the crew member from earlier asked in a weak voice.  
“We,” I said, “Are going to charge right at…” I played a quick game of eenie meenie with the two ships in front of us, “that ship!” I gestured to the ship on the right.  
The crew member looked pale. He’s probably new, I thought. “Why?” I turned back to Clarity.  
“I just need to be close enough to get on board, so steer away at the last second. Then turn around and come back and I’ll get back on to this ship.”  
“Again why?”  
I smiled, “You’ll see.”  
Sexton snorted and took the wheel, “Here we go I guess.”  
As the ship made its sharp turn many of the crew were knocked over. When they regained their balance and realized what was going on a huge cheer erupted from the older crew members.  
I looked at Sexton, “They don’t even know what’s happening,” I laughed.  
“They trust you.”  
“You’re gonna get them killed.”  
“Shut up Clarity” Sexton and I chorused.  
Now the Emerald Fallen was charging full speed at the vessel on the right. As we got closer I rushed to the side of the ship ready to jump across the gap between the two ships. Just before the two ships would have collided, Sexton jerked the wheel so the Emerald Fallen was as close as possible to the enemy ship without them hitting each other.  
“Okay,” Sexton called, “This part’s all you Tesla, don’t die.”  
I gave Sexton a conspiratorial wink before leaping across the gap.

~~~~

I watched as Tesla leapt onto the other ship’s rail, snorting to myself as she almost lost her balance and fell into the sea.  
“Sexton, why do you encourage her,” I turned to Clarity grinning.  
“It’s just so fun.”  
Clarity sighed, “Come on, let’s turn around.”  
I steered the Emerald Fallen until it was far enough away from the other ship to safely turn around. After completing the turn, I prepared to repeat the earlier maneuver to extract Tesla. We charged back towards the direction we came, the crew behind me singing and cheering.  
I laughed and turned to Clarity, “See? That wasn’t so bad.”  
Clarity rolled her eyes but I could see the relief shining in them. I grinned turning back to the enemy vessel, which we were close to at this point, and all my joy evaporated when I saw the name decorating the stern. Its trademark silver script shone in the sun taunting all who laid eyes on it.  
“Is that…?” Clarity’s voice was barely a whisper. Behind us the crew’s singing had died down, the noise instead replaced by an eerie silence that all too often brought death. I swallowed heavily and nodded to answer Clarity’s question.  
“Shit.”

~~~~

I danced through the soldiers on the ship, my sword glinting in the sun as I cut down my opponents, rarely killing but preventing them from continuing to fight. I spun around, meeting each sword, preventing any blows from landing and maybe I was smiling too much, but the rush of adrenaline that comes with a fight is a wonderful and overwhelming feeling. My goal at the moment was to cause enough damage for—  
“Enough!”  
That, I thought.  
Everyone had frozen. I turned toward the sound of the voice where the crew was parting to allow their captain through. The young woman who was parting the crowd had light brown skin decorated in pale freckles and silvery blue eyes. Her thick, curly, dark purple hair was drawn up into a ponytail. On her right forearm there was a crest claiming her as part of the Royal Aerial and Naval League Against Pirating. She was wearing long sleeves so I couldn’t see it but I knew it was there, just like I knew exactly who this girl was.  
“Are you shitting me?” I asked, laughter in my voice as I put away my sword. “This is not the ArchAngel is it?” I ran to the side of the ship and looked down, “You got a paint job. This used to be blue. It’s gold now!” I spun around to face the girl, “Today is a crazy day!”  
The soldiers were all giving me funny looks, the girl just looked unimpressed. “No really,” I said walking towards the girl, “I woke up this morning after having the weirdest dream, let me tell you about it.”  
“Please don’t,” The girl said.  
“Oh, don’t worry, it won’t take long.” I stopped right in front of the girl, “So here’s what happened: basically I was flying, but I wasn’t on the ship, and then slowly it got harder and harder to fly and when I looked down I saw that my pockets were full of gold. Eventually I had too much gold and fell into the sea where I drowned because the gold was too heavy,” I began to circle around the girl, “What do you think that means?”  
The girl turned her head to follow me with her eyes. “I think it means that your pirating habits will be the death of you,” The girl’s voice was harsh.  
I hummed in consideration, by now I had fully walked around the girl and was starting for another loop, “There were also sharks,” I mused.  
“Maybe your crew is planning to mutiny and throw you to the sharks, I mean they already left you here.” the girl’s voice had taken on a haughty tone.  
I shrugged, “Not really,” I made my way back over to the side of the ship climbing on the railing, holding onto a rope to keep steady, “Come here I’ll show you.” The girl looked at me skeptically, “Come on,” I urged with dramatic arm movements. The girl slowly walked over to climb up next to me, “See?” I pointed to the back of the ship as she settled next to me.  
The Emerald Fallen pulled up next to where we were standing, “And now,” I said cheerfully, “It’s time for us to say goodbye,” I grabbed the girl and threw her across the gap where she landed ungracefully on the deck of the Emerald Fallen. I waved to the ArchAngel’s stunned crew before imitating my earlier movements, leaping onto my ship just as clumsily as our prisoner.  
I picked myself up and strolled up to the wheel where Sexton had his face buried in his arms, “Next time we go for the other ship,” he mumbled. I laughed.  
“Technically this might work in our favor, the ArchAngel would never flee, but the other ship—”  
“It’s the Death Bringer,”  
I snorted, “Such a strong name for such a weak captain.” I could feel Sexton’s smile, “You wanna bring us around so we can break the news?”  
Sexton lifted his head grinning, steering the ship around so it was on course to pull up on the opposite side of the Death Bringer as the ArchAngel. I skipped down to the deck where the girl was tied up, “Bring her here,” I gestured to two of the crew members guarding the prisoner to follow me. As the Emerald Fallen moved to a parallel position to the Death Bringer. I grabbed the bound girl’s arm,  
“Hey Captain,” I called to the other vessel, Captain Ivan Greyson stared at me in shock, “Look what I got,” I taunted, “You might want to turn around to warn her daddy dearest that his little princess is at our mercy.”  
“Don’t listen to her! Fire,” The violet haired girl screamed at her fellow captain. Captain Greyson looked between the girl and me a worried look in his eyes. Then he spun around and yelled something at his crew. I leaned in to whisper in my prisoner’s ear,  
“What do you think he will do?”  
The girl just jerked her shoulder in an attempt to free herself from my grasp, I released my hold on her arm raising mine in surrender. I turned my focus back to the two ships next to us snorting as the Death Bringer pulled away to retreat, the ArchAngel following in pursuit. The girl made an angry growling sound. My crew cheered around me. I gestured for silence,  
“I know I know, I’m amazing.”  
I bounced up to where Sexton and Clarity were standing. Clarity looked stern and annoyed but offered me a small smile when I joined them by the wheel, “I can’t believe that worked,” she stated in a voice that clearly meant that she had wanted for something to go wrong for the sole purpose of scolding me.  
I grinned, “Never doubt my luck.”  
Sexton and I laughed as Clarity rolled her eyes. She mumbled something that sounded like “rum glass”, which only made Sexton and I laugh harder.  
“Tesla!” I turned my head to look at the direction the twin voices came from to see two twin people rushing towards me.  
Artemis and Apollo, twin brother and sister as their names suggested only instead of Artemis being the girl, he was a boy just as Apollo was a girl. Both siblings sported curly white hair and porcelain skin. Their red eyes were wide and more often than not were full of laughter and mischief. Right now however, their eyes were full of annoyance.  
Arte pushed his round glasses up his nose, “Honestly you could not come up with your genius plan sooner?”  
Apollo put her hands on her hips, “Seriously, the boiler room is trashed, tones of the houses in the emerald city will need to be repaired, you’re lucky no one died, and the crew’s quarters are a mess, there are holes everywhere from their cannons.” Apollo huffed out of breath from her rant as well as running around the ship trying to minimize the damage.  
I put my hand on her shoulder, “It's okay, I’ll help with repairs and don’t worry too much about the crew’s rooms, they could use more windows anyway.”  
Apollo snorted, “Fine.” she raised her hands in surrender, “What did you do by the way, when we got up there the ships were retreating and I know I saw the ArchAngel on the back of one of them. That paint job was cool by the way.”  
“It was,” I agreed, “I didn’t even recognize it until I got on board,”  
“You did what?  
“Yeah, I jumped from this ship to the ArchAngel, only I didn’t know it was the ArchAngel at the time, and I started taking out the crew in hopes of getting the captain’s attention, and again I did not know I was on the ArchAngel because if I did I totally would not have taken that approach, and then I did get the captain’s attention and I distracted her by telling her about my dream from last night, then I grabbed her and yeeted her over to the Emerald Fallen then I jumped back over and used her as a bargaining chip to make them go away. I’m pretty sure it only worked because the other captain was Greyson.”  
“Ivan Greyson,” Apollo laughed, “Dude he is a wimp. I’m surprised he’s not dead yet.”  
“Same,” I laughed.  
“So did you return the stolen captain or…” Apollo trailed off curiosity lacing her voice.  
“She’s over there,” I gestured to the deck, “Wanna go over there?”  
“I’m more interested in this dream of yours and why it was so distracting,” Artemis piped up.  
“Oh,” I said with a laugh, “There was no dream, I just made something up to get her all cocky because she already thought she had the upper hand why not make it seem like I’m distracted and questioning my life’s choices too.”  
“Smart girl,” praised Arte clapping. I laughed and bowed.  
“God, we are weird,” I snorted as I led the way down to the deck.  
The crew had surrounded the girl, eyes full of curiosity yet none of them made to move any closer to the bound captive than five feet. Someone had adjusted her binds so they were around her wrists and ankles instead of their previous location where they practically mummified her torso. The girl’s hair had come undone and was now wildly fluffed around her in a way that was almost comical when compared to her normally composed look.  
I turned to Sexton who looked like he would rather be swimming with hungry sharks than here, “You know no one will believe us when we say that we caught her, maybe we could get a picture.”  
Sexton offered me a small smile before returning his gaze to the prisoner in front of us. As two sets of identical blue eyes met the girl began to struggle and curse with words vulgar enough to make even the most brash of my crew look on in shock. The girl continued to wriggle around until she fell on her side and even then she didn’t stop fussing.  
“Woah,” Apollo gasped, “She and Sexton look so much alike.”  
I turned to stare at her, “Are you shitting me?” She stared at me blankly, “Okay seriously does anybody know?” I looked around, everyone looked at me dumbly.  
“Know what,” Arte asked.  
“If you know you know,” I said.  
“I know,” Clarity piped up, raising her hand.  
“I know you know but does anybody else know?”  
“I feel like this is something that should be obvious, but considering the differences in our professions no one really puts it together.” Sexton muttered.  
“You look like you're going to throw up,” I stated.  
“I feel like I’m going to throw up.”  
I offered him a comforting smile, resting my hand on his arm supportively, “You’re okay,” I whispered, then more loudly, “Besides if you plan on throwing up you should do it on her.” I pointed to the writhing girl who had yet to shut up. This encouraged laughter from the tense crew.  
“I gotta be honest,” I said, “I kinda want to get her a gag… but also not at the same time because this,” I pointed to the prisoner is question, “Is fucking hilarious.”  
I knelt down next to the girl, “I mean really how often do these noble snots ever lose their shit this much. Seriously can someone film this please?”  
The girl ignored me, glaring past me to favor her gaze on Sexton.  
“You traitorous bastard,” she shrieked, “Ungrateful son of a bitch,”  
“You should never talk about your mother that way,” I chided, “Sexy here only tells me great things about her.” I stood up and walked over to Sexton to pat his shoulder, “Gotta be honest I wish my mom was more like your mom, my mom sucks booty hole.”  
“Tesla,” I looked back at Clarity, “Don’t be so vulgar,” she scolded. I held up my hand in surrender, my eyes wide and my cheeks puffed out, making the action comical.  
“Tesla,” I relaxed turning my gaze to Apollo, “What is it that we all don’t know but you, Clarity, and Sexton know?”  
I resumed my game show host voice from earlier, “I’m glad you asked, but first some trivia!” I pointed to the wriggling girl who had finally quieted down, “What is the name of the infamous captain of the deadly ArchAngel, the ship with the second highest pirate kill rate of all of RANLAP?”  
I pointed to Apollo who had raised her hand, “MkCenzy, but what does that have to do with—”  
“And does anyone know what is the full name of my dear first mate here?” I continued cutting off Apollo. This time no one raised their hand, the question and answer sinking in as everyone stood there. I took this time to address Captain McKenzy, “Again about that ‘Son of a bitch comment’ from earlier, if you were talking about your mom, shame on you but if you were talking about your father you are absolutely right he is a bitch.”  
The girl growled at me. I turned back to my crew, “So no one knows Sexton’s full name? That’s sad.”  
“It’s Sexton Mercury MkCenzy,” Said Arte in a small voice.  
“Right you are,” I declared, “So for our formal introductions, everyone it is my honor to present to you, Sexton’s twin sister, Joiner Lupe MkCenzy!”


	2. I Strip Off My Clothes and Start a Fight

I tightened another screw before sitting back on my heels. I was covered in grease and grime and sweat but I could not have been more relaxed. The Emerald Fallen was my baby, I loved working on her adding in my own touches, like reinforcing areas that had been destroyed with Blight stone, a very rare and very expensive indestructible metal. I would seal it between the outer and inner layers of wood so it was invisible until that area was hit when the stone would consume anything that touched it that it saw as a threat. I studied Blight stone almost religiously when I first came up with the idea, I didn’t want it to end up backfiring. I learned alot about the strange substance, including the fact that the stone was alive. It would meld with other pieces of Blight stone and would never harm anything that didn’t cause it harm. It was one of the things that made the Emerald Fallen feel so alive. I reached out to stroke at the walls of the ship, smiling to myself.  
“I hope I’m not interrupting.”  
I turned around to smile at Sexton, “If you had come in a minute later you would have been scared by our passionate love making.”  
Sexton huffed in amusement before leaning on one of the boilers. He sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. “God what are we doing?”  
I raised an eyebrow, “I don’t know what you’re doing but I’m fixin’ meh ship.” I gestured behind me with my wrench.  
Sexton smiled, “I meant with Joiner. What’s the plan there?”  
I shrugged, “Idunknow.” The words tumbled out as one causing Sexton to smirk.  
“You know sometimes the way you talk makes you sound drunk.” I giggled at the comment.  
“I try.”   
We sat in silence for a moment. I stood up dropping my wrench so I could put my hands on his shoulders, leaning forward until our faces were inches apart, “I don’t have a clue what we are going to do with your sister.” Sexton huffed with laughter, “But, I promise you that the moment we can get rid of her safely, for both us and her, I will.”   
“Why does it have to be safe for her, can’t we just dump her in the ocean.”  
“We could but I know you too well, and I know that would haunt you forever…” Sexton gave me a helpless shrug, “Plus she can just swim.” Laughter.  
“Fair enough. So now what?”  
“I got to get more Blight stone, we’re basically out after that last attack.”  
“Okay then.” Sexton clapped his hands. “You can let go of me now.”  
I shook my head and tightened my hold on his shoulders, “But if I do you’ll be mad at me.”  
Sexton gave me a look of pure soullessness, “You got oil on my shirt didn’t you?”  
“Yes I did.”   
“Tesla!”  
~~~~

Sexton and I marched up onto the deck where the rest of the crew as well as Joiner were waiting. We had changed out of our clothes but did not wash off so while our garments were clean our hands and faces were still covered in grime.  
Joiner had stopped screeching but looked like she would start again at the drop of a hat. Sexton had moved to stand behind Clarity, trying to hide despite being a head taller than her. I strolled over to Artemis and Apollo.   
“So,” I said quietly, “It was pretty bad but not horrible. We are out of Blight stone, so we need to get more of that. Um… yeah. It could have been worse.”  
Apollo smirked at me, “You are a mess,” Arte snorted.   
“Thank you.” I said in a haughty tone, “I do try.”  
“Okay,” I spun around to face my crew, “Okay y’all we are heading to Valhalla!”   
There was a cheer and I could vaguely hear Joiner saying, “The fuck is that?” I hid a smile turning back to the twins.   
“I know you guys are going to go crazy when we get there but to show some restraint.”   
Apollo waved her hand dismissively while Arte bounced up and down on the balls of his feet. I rolled my eyes. I didn’t expect anything different, those two never listen. Moving past them I grabbed Sexton on my way up to the wheel, staining a new hand print on his shirt in the process. Reaching the wheel I changed course to head in the direction of Valhalla.   
Once I was sure we were on the right course I turned back to Sexton, who was violently scrubbing at his shirt in an attempt to get my hand print off. He was making it so much worse.   
“It’s a fashion statement,” I piped up.   
“Is your stupidity a fashion statement too.” Sexton’s tone was halfway between sarcastic and teasing.   
I shrugged, playing along, “Sometimes.”  
We fell into a silence, Sexton had given up on his shirt and was now staring out at the open sea.   
“It’s amazing how big it is,” He murmured. I nodded watching him, “So vast and yet we still ran into her.” His voice turned cold.   
“You must have pissed off some god of karma,” I teased.  
“Or maybe that was just you and I have to suffer for it,” Sexton glanced at me.   
“Possibly. I piss off a lot of people. It’s a hobby.” I moved to stand next to him.   
“Habit.”  
“What?”  
“It’s a habit,” He corrected.  
I snorted, “Nope, I meant hobby.”  
Sexton dropped his chin to his chest grinning.  
“I mean seriously,” I continued, “To annoy people this effortlessly takes practice.”   
Sexton just shook his head, still smiling, and looked up to the horizon again. “I just never thought I would have to come face to face with my family ever again.” He sighed, “And now that I have, I don’t know what to do, to feel, to say. I just feel… lost.”   
I rubbed his back comfortingly. I know how hard this is for him.  
When Sexton and I first met it was soon after my father offered to take me and my siblings away from my mother and the life we had to live with her. It was a week before we planned to leave, when my mother had invited Lord Corville Piers MkCenzy and his two children for lunch. While the adults had their tea, us children had gone into the yard to play. Joiner wouldn’t stop talking about how she was going to grow up and hunt pirates just like her father. I was quick to notice how uncomfortable Sexton looked.   
At the time he was a short, scraggly kid with a chubby baby face, still taller than I was of course, acne, voice cracks, the whole mid-puberty bundle. Next to him was his twin sister, with her perfect skin, curvy yet lithe body, enchanting voice and enough confidence to drown a small country.   
The difference between now and then was incredible. Joiner was still the same girl, perfect and ethereal with her dark skin, white freckles and blue eyes. However the changes in Sexton were incredible. Gone was the chubby and youthful face, replaced by sharp cheekbones and a firm jaw. His short skinny body had not only grown taller but had developed an impressive set of muscles. His blue eyes shone with humor and mischief, and his deep warm chocolaty voice was hypnotizing. It was hard to see them as the same person. But they were.  
Seeing Joiner again had brought that side back out, even though it was in small spells. I find myself reminded of that day. The day two days after we first met the MkCenzy family. The day when Joiner had dragged us off to show us some fighting moves her father had taught her. While she was wrestling with Ceasar I had sidled up to Sexton.   
“Hi,” I said cheerfully, moving so I was in his line of sight. The poor boy jumped so high he hit his head on the branch just above us.  
I stared at him as he sat on the ground rubbing his head, “You gotta be careful with those.” I pointed at the tree branch. I held out my hand to help him up, “I’m Tesla”   
He ignored my hand and gave me a funny look, “But I thought your name was—”  
“Nope,” I cut him off, “It’s Tesla.”  
“Oh.”  
“Your sister sure is something,” I looked over at the girl in question who had pinned Caesar in a chokehold, poor kid.   
Sexton just shrugged. I sat down next to him.  
“Her opinions sure are bold though, don’t you think?”  
Sexton drew his knees up to his chest and stared at his feet, “My dad wants me to be more like her…” He sniffed, “But I don’t want to kill pirates, they aren’t all bad. My mama said that everyone has a special skill which goes with their special job. It’s not fair that pirates get killed just because their special skill is something that people don’t like. Why do other people get to decide what’s right and wrong? My mama was always fair. She’s dead now.”   
Sexton’s voice was thick and I realized that he had started crying. I patted his back comfortingly.  
“Do you think you could ever be a pirate?” I asked.  
Sexton’s head had snapped up to stare at me.  
“Because I’m going to be one,” I continued, “My daddy’s going to come pick me and my siblings up and we are going to become pirates.”  
“But what about your mom?” Sexton was watching me with awe in his eyes.   
“What about your dad?” I responded knowing the other boy had already made up his mind. Sexton just shrugged and started wiping away his tears.   
Joiner came over having exhausted my siblings. She stared at Sexton’s teary face before whirling on me. “What the fuck did you do?” It was then that I realized that Joiner did love Sexton. I felt some of my dislike for her dissipate.   
“Nothing,” I responded in a cheeky voice, “Did you get bored with my siblings?”   
She glared at me, “They weren’t worthy opponents.” Her voice was snarky and full of arrogance.   
“How about we have a go then?” I asked with my sweetest smile.  
“I doubt a little doll like you could beat me.” That just riled me up more. I was the shortest out of my siblings, heck I was shorter than my cousin who was two years younger than me, but I don’t take shit about it from people.  
“Let’s see then.” I stood up and stripped off my dress and petticoat, casting them off so I was just standing there in my combination and corset. I heard Sexton yelp behind me. I turned around and threw him a wink. My triplets just shook their heads at me grinning.   
I turned back to Joiner who was blushing. “What?” I said, “You get to wear pants.” I gestured to her outfit, which was typically reserved for boys her age. I was jealous, as time went on fashion for the upper class had reverted back to the Victorian era, imitating the elegant dresses and handsome waistcoats. My mother would always dress Mozart and I up like dolls and no matter how many times I asked she refused to allow me to wear pants.   
“Come on,” I fussed. Ushering her over to the clearing she had been wrestling in before. Joiner might have been taught hand to hand combat by her father, the most awarded and revered fighter in the Royal Navy, but I have two siblings who are both taller than me and like to play dirty and a father who is the best pirate the seas has ever seen.   
Five minutes later my mother, her husband, and Lord MkCenzy found us covered in dirt with me in nothing but my underwear, sitting on Joiner’s back, pinning her head in the dirt.  
A week later Sexton, Caesar, Mozart and I were sitting in my room on the Emerald Fallen reading the newspaper. The front page article declared Sexton dead having been killed by raiders as revenge on Lord MkCenzy for arresting their leader.   
There was only one time I hated Lord MkCenzy more than when he decided that he would rather declare his son dead than risk the shame in the world finding out that his son was a pirate. I never knew why Sexton kept his last name. I never asked.   
Now here we were, years later, Sexton trying to run away from his past and every memory that came with it.   
I smiled at him, “Three years ago I was rubbing your back just like this while your sibling tried to kill mine.”  
Sexton snorted.  
“If you could go back and choose again would you still come with me?” I was almost scared to hear his answer. From the moment we first stepped onto the Emerald Fallen’s shiny new deck, Sexton was my anchor. He was there for me when I felt lost, when I was lost, reminding me I wasn’t alone and I never would be. He stayed by my side through every stupid adventure even when our crew changed and people came and went, lived and died, loved and lost, he was there. He put up with all my bullshit with endless patience that few other people could muster. I didn’t want to learn that he wouldn’t be there if he could choose again.   
Sexton was silent and I swallowed back tears. “If I could go back…” Sexton paused thinking, “I would do something different.”  
“Oh,” I hated how small my voice sounded. I stared down at the waves slapping against the hull of the ship  
“I’d tell the papers what I was doing so my father couldn’t claim me dead.”   
My head shot up and Sexton laughed, “See, that’s the face I made three years ago. Are we doing a reenactment?”   
“So you’d stay?” I gasped.  
“No, I want to miss out on all this and be stuck with a job I don’t want to do. Fuck, I’d probably be dead if I didn’t go with you.”  
“Ooooh,” I grinned, “So you’d only come to save your own ass?”  
“Duh, who would ever want to be around you willingly?”  
I cackled, “Why do you think your sister is tied up? We gots to make an example.”  
Sexton ruffled my hair laughing, “You know I can never take you seriously right?”  
“Why not?”  
“I watched you rip off your clothes and judo flip my sister five minutes later. I don’t care what you do, that memory is always there.”   
“What was I supposed to do, suffocate her with my sixty pound dress? Smack her upside the head with my petticoat? I think Mozart proved that those dresses are way too restricting to fight in them.”   
Sexton and I smiled at the memory of Mozart trying to fight in her heavy, lacy, light purple dress.   
“God,” I sighed, “We have changed so much.”  
Sexton nodded, “It’s not a bad thing but it’s weird to think about how different we were when we were thirteen.”   
“We thought that nothing could hurt us and there were no consequences to our actions.”   
“We still think that somewhat.”  
“That’s being a teenager.”  
“Yeah.”  
We slipped back into silence, staring out at the horizon. Thinking about what our lives used to be like. It really was a big difference in just three years. Sexton, Clarity and I are the only ones left on the Emerald Fallen from three years ago. It’s not that everyone died, some did, most people simply retired. Mozart and Caesar are captains of their own ships so of course they left, but looking back on it, I almost feel lonely.   
I rested my head on Sexton’s arm, unable to reach his shoulder. “Do you ever feel like too many people are leaving us?”   
“Sometimes.”  
“I don’t like it.”  
“I don’t think anyone does.”   
I looked up at him, “Hey Sexton,”  
Sexton hummed his acknowledgement.  
“Never leave me.”  
“Never.” He agreed.  
I learned a long time ago that nothing in life will come easy. People would come, then leave. Sometimes they go willingly, other times they are taken. I had too many people taken from me. That’s why I try not to let go. Sexton gets that, and I get him. It’s why we work.   
I sighed, “Well that was fucking depressing.”  
“I know. It’s only Monday.”  
“Oh my god, we aren’t going to make it.”  
Sexton laughed, “Do we ever?”  
“Do we ever what?”  
Sexton and I turned to look at Clarity who had made her way up to us. On the deck I could see Apollo and Artemis talking excitedly, making up a list of things they would get once we got to Valhalla. Their cheerful faces and Clarity’s warm eyes remind me that even though some people are gone, I am still not alone.   
“Make it. Like through the week.” Sexton answered Clarity’s earlier question.  
Clarity snorted, which is rare for her, “Oh fuck no.”  
“Exactly,” I said in a mockingly exasperated voice.  
Clarity and Sexton smiled at my childishness.   
“You can stop rubbing my back now,” Sexton told me.  
I glanced at my arm which I had yet to remove from Sexton’s back, it was getting numb. I looked back at Sexton. Silent.  
“What?” He asked, “I’m fine you don’t have to comfort me anymore.”  
I remained silent.   
“Seriously Tesla, what…” His eyes widened in realization.  
“OH MY GOD!”

~~~~

The sun was starting to set. I would estimate that we’d reach Valhalla by midday tomorrow. Sexton had changed his shirt for the second time today after I rubbed oil and grime all over the back of his shirt. He had yelled he was going to get me back before disappearing into his room.   
I was eating a plate of mashed potatoes on the gun deck. I had dragged a chair up there and after taking off my boots I propped my legs up on the bow. Arte-Pollo, our nickname for the twins, were sitting next to me. They had rattled off their wishlist to me earlier and now I was explaining why we did not need more guns, a high dive or a sixth waffle iron.  
“But it would make breakfast so much easier.” Artemis tried to reason.  
“No.” I said laughing slightly, “We have five already, we don’t need six.”  
“But—”  
“No.”  
“This is unfair,” Apollo muttered as she dragged a still talking Artemis away.   
I looked back at them. There were not many people on deck right now. They were probably off eating. My eyes caught on Joiner who was sitting alone tied to the mast.   
“You should probably go check on her.” While the voice surprised me, I didn’t jump. I turned around to see a beautiful girl with long curly red hair. It shone in the golden light of the sunset, dancing like the fires we used to make when we camped out on beaches. Her soft grey eyes were full of love and joy. Her pale skin was decorated in freckles. She was the kind of girl who would be the subject of a painting. The kind that is left at a museum by an anonymous talent and people would come far and wide to revel in it’s mystery.  
I looked back at Joiner, “Probably.”  
The red head shook her head, laughing at the reluctance in my tone, “Honestly Tesla, grow a pair.”   
“What makes you think I haven’t?”  
“Did you?”  
“Want to check,” I wriggled my eyebrows seductively, something I practiced in front of my mirror for hours.  
The girl laughed, “Later.”  
“You really want me to go check on her?”  
“Yes.”  
“Fine.” I stood up, kissing the girl’s cheek before making my way down to Joiner, taking my potatoes with me. I didn’t look back.  
I moved so I was standing right in front of Joiner and took a bite of mashed potatoes.   
“I hope you get a splinter.” Joiner’s voice was cold.  
“What?”  
She nodded down to my feet, I looked down and realized I left my books on the gun deck.  
“Oh.” I said laughing a little, “I mean I might but,” I shrugged, “Whatevs.”   
“You shrug a lot.”   
I shrugged again, just to annoy her, “You’ve been watching me?”  
“I have to. You have me captured and tied up,” Joiner wriggled around in her bonds to prove her point, “I can’t run so I might as well study you.”  
“You have always struck me as the kind of person who would never stop fighting.” I thought back to our meeting three years ago.   
“You talk like you know me.”   
I smiled at her. Of course she wouldn’t recognize me. I leaned forward to whisper in her ear.  
“Maybe I do.”  
Joiner shivered before regaining her wits making an attempt to headbutt me. I pulled away.   
“Anyway,” I continued like nothing happened, “You need to eat.” I offered her the potatoes.   
She looked at them suspiciously, “Did you poison them?”  
“Dude, I’ve been eating them, why would I do that if they were poisoned.”  
She smirked, “Still don’t want ‘em. Eating after you might give me mono.”  
I widened my eyes in mock hurt, clutching at my chest, “Woah. Woah woah woah, it is an unspoken rule on this ship that we do not talk about my toxic kisses. It makes me self conscious.”  
She glared at me in silence.   
I held up my hands in surrender, “Okay, but I’m taking the potatoes.”  
I turned around and made my way to my quarters. I opened the door to find Sexton pouring a can of oil all over my bed sheets.   
“Classy,” I said, putting down the potatoes on my desk, “Not a fan of the color though.”  
“Deal with it.”  
Sexton stood up wiping off his hands on a rag before tossing it on the pile that was my ruined bedding.   
“I offered your sister some potatoes.” I said, “It was Avery’s idea.”  
Sexton gave me a sad smile, “Those potatoes,” he questioned nodding to the plate I had put down.   
“She said she didn’t want them. Then she said I had mono.”  
Sexton laughed, “Of course she did.”  
“You know your family is quite rude.”   
“Yeah.” He was quiet, “Does she recognize you?”   
I scoffed, “No. Why would she?”  
“I mean you are still short, you never know.”  
I shoved his chest, “Shut up you whore.”  
Sexton just laughed and nudged me off with little effort, “You’re the one with mono.”  
“Keep this up I’ll give you a sample.”  
“Oh no! Not a sample!”  
I stopped pushing at Sexton, “You know I love you right?”  
“It’s a little hazy.” I smirked.  
“Come on.” I grabbed his hand and dragged him out of my room.  
“Wait where are we going?”  
“You ruined my sheets, now you have to share.”  
“You didn’t share your clothes!”  
“You can’t fit in my clothes.”  
Sexton rolled his eyes, “Just give me space okay? I don’t need to wake up with you pushing me off the bed so you can lay in starfish pose.”  
“Well see.”  
Sexton sighed, but he wrapped his arm around me anyway and we found ourselves staring off at the unreachable horizon once again.


End file.
